Seat attachment for hammocks



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I.E.PALMER. I I S EAT ATTACHMENT FOR HAMM'OGKS.

No. 574,073. Patented Dec. 29, 1896.

Masses; [WW/KM.-

(No Model.) l 2 sheets s l ieet 2:.

' I. E. PALMER.

SEAT ATTACHMENT FOR HAMMOUKS.

Patented Dec. 29, 1896.

PATENT FFIcE.

ISAAC E. PALMER, OF MIDDLETOW'N, CONNECTICUT.

SEAT ATTACHMENT FOR HA MMOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,073, dated December 29, 1896. Application filed August 1,1896. Serial No. 601,292. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC E. PALMER, of Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Seat Attachments for Hammocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in seat attachments for hammocks, in which provision is made for causing a portion of the hammock-body to assume at pleasure a position other than that which it would normally assume when suspended, for the purpose of aifording the occupant aseat and leg-rest, or both, which shall conform to the position which the body of the occupant would naturally assume when at rest and lying on the back.

sists, broadly, in a rigid frame capable of attachment to the hammock-body and provided with bearing-points for the hammock-body, such that the latter will be caused-throughout a portion of its length-to assume a position to form a natural seat or leg-rest, or both.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows in side elevation a seat and leg-rest at .each other and the leg-rest section only made adjustable. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the back-rest omitted from the seat-section. Fig. 6 is a modified form in which the seat and leg-rest sections are formed by upholstering or padding on the face of a rigid frame; and Fig. 7 representsaform in which the seat and leg-rest sections are rigidly fixed with relation to one another, in which the back and foot rests are omitted, and the seat and leg-rest sections non-adjustable as to length.

Referring to the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the hammock-bodyis denoted byA and is provided at its opposite ends with suspen- Vith these ends in view my invention con-.

sion devices of any well-known or approved form, such, for example, as bunches of suspension-loops a, connected by suspensioncords a with suitable supports. (Not shown.) The attachment for causing the body of the hammock or a portion thereof to assume a position which shall be natural and restful for the body of the occupant when lying upon the back therein consists, so far as the seatsection is concerned, of side rails B B, each made in two sections, (denoted byb 17",) the one, I), being provided with an elongated slot 19 and with an outwardly-extending lug b and the other section, b,being provided with an inwardly-projecting T-shaped lug b the head of the T being adapted to rest, as shown in Fig. 2, transversely across the elongated slot 17 in the section b when the parts are in the position for use, and the lug 6 being adapted at the same time to rest in one of several notches b in the upper edge of the section b. The parts I) b, which constitute the rail '13 or B, are assembled by turning the parts 19 substantially at right angles to the parts I) and then inserting the T-heads of the lugs through the slots b and then turning the parts Z) back into alinement with the parts Z). In like manner the side rails of the legrest section (denoted as a whole by C C) each consist of two sections 0 and 0, locked together andcapable of longitudinal adjustment in a manner quite similar to that already described in reference to the parts I) b,

, The side rails B B are rigidly connected together by cross-pieces D D, made in the present instance flat and having considerable breadth, the former, D, being located between the portions of the rails B B which form the seatproper, and the latter, D, being located between the upward extensions B B of the side rails to form ElrIOW-dOWIl back-rest, The side rails C C are connected at the foot by a rung d, and their upward extensions C C are connected by a'rung d to form a foot-rest.

The seat-frame and the leg-rest frame are hinged together at their adjacent ends, in the present instance by pivoting their adjacent ends on a cross-rung E, and they are held at the desired angle with respect to each other by means of stay-rods 6, one on each side of the frame, pivoted at one end to the seatframe and at the opposite end provided with a hook for engaging some one of the perforations (2, arranged at intervals in the side of the leg-rest frame.

The framework as thus constructed may be attached to the hammock by passing the body A of the hammock over the rung cl at the foot-rest, thence under the rung (Z, thence over the rung E, thence over the flat crossbrace D and under the brace I), and thence to the point of support. The hammock-body will thus have a bearing at three or more points on the frame, and when suspended, as represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, will be forced to assume the angle which the frame assumes, so that a person seated upon that portion occupied by the seat-section will be prevented from slipping along down the body of the hammock, and the legs of the occupant, when so seated, will be allowed to rest naturally upon the leg-rest section of the frame without bearing the weight at the heels and leaving the leg intermediate of the heel and the body unsupported, as is common in connection with hammocks as commonly in use.

In order to give additional support to the framework and at the same time hold it in various desired adjustments longitudinally of the body of the hammock, I may provide suspension-cords F F, leading from the same supports from which the hammock is suspended, or from supports in proximity thereto, along the side rails of the framework. By providing any suitable means for securing the said cords to the framework at its opposite ends, as, for example, by providing the framework with knobs f, around the neck of which a half-hitch f of the cords F F may be taken at pleasure, the frame may be prevented from slipping or changing its position while in use whatever may be the inclination at which the hammock is supported, and at the same time the frame may be adjusted to different positions along the body of the hammock by simply loosening the half-hitches and sliding it along the body and then again fastening it.

It is obvious that other well-known devices than the knob and half-hitch might be employed for purposes of attaching the cords F F to the framework.

The cords F F, in addition to their functions of assistingin the support of the framework and hammock and serving as a practical means for adjusting and holding the framework in position, also serve at their ends, beyond the ends of the framework, as a support for the body of the hammock, and hence for the back of the occupant of the hammock when pressing against the body of the hammock where it lies over the suspension-cords, as shown at the left-hand end of Fig. 3.

Vhere it is desired to utilize asimpler form of framework, the hinge at the adjacent ends of the seat and leg-rest sections may be omitted and the seat and leg-rest sections formed rigid, as shown in Fig. 4:, where the side rails of the seat and portion of the leg-rest section are denoted by B. In this form the foot-rest extension (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3) is also omitted. In other respects the structure and arrangement of the frame and its manner of attachment to and adjustment along the body of the hammock are quite similar to that already described.

In Fig. 5 the back extension of the seatframe is omitted, and in place of the wide fiat cross-brace D a round rung D is employed. In other respects the structure is quite similar to that shown in Fig. 4:.

In the form shown in Fig. 6 the framework consists of straight side rails B connected by a flat cross-brace or backboard D thelatter being built up on its face by a pad G of suitable material-such, for example, as hair, cotton, or excelsior. The rails B are further connected by rungs D and (1 under which the body of thehammock passes after passing over the padded portion G. This form serves to throw the body of the hammock out of its normal position to form seat and leg rests of such shape as to afford the body a natural rest. 7

I11 the form shown in Fig. 7 the side rails of the seat and leg-rest sections are each formed in a single piece or rigidly connected, neither seat nor leg sections are adjustable longitudinally, and the back and foot rest extensions are omitted. In this form the side rails are denoted by B and they are connected by rungs D (1?, respectively, at the head and foot and by an intermediate rung E. The hammock-body passes over the rung E and beneath the rung D and (1 In this form, and also in that shown in Figs. f and 5, the angle between the seat and leg-rest sections is fixed, being made originally of such a degree as experience has found most satisfactory.

It is obvious that other slight changes in the form and arrangement of the parts of the frame and attachment might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not Wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein shown; but

\Vhat I claim is- 1. A hammock attachment comprising a frame independent of the body of the hammock and provided with bearings for the body of the hammock, the said bearings being so located with respect to one another that the hammock-body when engaged therewith and suspended will have its natural curve interrupted to form a seat, substantially as set forth.

2. A hammock attachment comprising a rigid frame provided with bearings for the body of the hammock, the said bearings being so located with respect to one another that the hammock-body when engaged therewith and suspended will have its natural curve inter- ;upted to form a seat, substantially as set ort l.

swore a 3. The combination with the body of a hammock, of a rigid frame provided With three or more bearing-points for the body of the hammock, an intermediate bearing-point being in a difierent plane from the bearing-points upon opposite sides of it, whereby the natural curve of the hammock, when suspended is interrupted 'to form a seat, substantially as set forth. 7

4. The combination with the body of a hammock, of a removable frame provided with three or more bearings for the body of the hammock, an intermediate bearing being out of the plane of adjacent bearings and suspending-cords engaged with the framework for holding it in the desired adjustment along the body of the hammock, substantially as set forth.

5. A hammock attachment, comprising a rigid frame consisting of side rails connected by cross bars or braces, the side rails each being angular in shape, the said cross-braces being arranged to form bearings for the body of the hammock when the hammock is passed under certain of the braces and over an in- 25 termediate brace, substantially as set forth.

6. The hammock attachment, comprising a framework having side rails angular in shape and connected by cross-braces and means for adjusting the length of the side rails, substan- 3o tially as set forth.

'7. The combination with the body of the hammock, of the hammock attachment, comprising side rails connected by cross-braces, the said side rails being hinged intermediate 3 5 of their ends and means for locking the hinged parts at different angles to one another, substantially as set forth.

- ISAAC E. PALMER.

Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, IRENE B. DECKER. 

